Pop It Out
by pas l'auteur
Summary: How Seta Souji's weekend would be when he's in his early twenties.
1. Chapter 1

**DISC A**

* * *

Strong scent of smoke. Souji Seta put down his last piece of 'medication' to the ashtray. As the fire burned out, he blew off smoke from his mouth.

The light turned green. The gray haired man removed the handbrake, shifting to the first gear before following the rest of the car leaving the intersection.

The manager went hell-bent on keeping him work overnight and so he did. Thirty one hours and… eleven minutes. Souji can't help but smirked. Should he put that on his resume? Pfft.

Souji steered his car to the side before turning inside the parking lot. Buckling down the seat-belt, he grabbed his coat and snatched his keys on the dashboard. The dampness of the basement greeted him when he exited the vehicle. _At least, I'm gonna a good sleep until tomorrow. _He thought to himself, entering the lift.

Tenth floor. The gray haired man sighed, dragging his legs to room 1029. It's the corner near the emergency staircase. He scoffed, seeing a bunch of people wearing a uniform in front of his door. Police Force. Was he hallucinating already?

"Excuse me, Seta Souji?"

"Yes?" Souji cleared his dry throat.

"You are under suspicion of murder, please come with us to the station."

Souji could see the dark bags under his gray eyes from his reflection on the window. He'd love to sleep on his way to the station, but his mind was occupied with the news he heard earlier. The manager's dead, murdered. And he's one of the suspect.

Lack of sleep could generate hallucination. He wondered if this was all just his and he's actually wasted in the basement. Or it could be the murderer after all. _The sleep deprived employee murdered his own boss after the boss overworked him._ Souji scoffed. That's one clichéd headline. And he's not that cranky… or was he?

_Well, this is something_.

Long hours of interrogation made him carve for smoke. He fished out a pack of cigarette from his shirt pocket. It's empty. He let out a wry smile, throwing off the pack into the air.

"Here, take mine."

Souji glared at the pack of cigarettes, mentally drooling for it. He looked up to see a middle aged man. His dark hair was balding and he kept his scruffy beard unshaved. The man seemed bulky, or this could be just his hallucination. His attire was a lot similar with Souji. The classic shirt and dark pants for corporate workers.

Who's this man? What did he want? Why can't he just leave him alone? Those questions cleared up fast when he realized this man was offering him a free smoke. To hell who he's. "Thanks." Souji said as he put the stress-reliever in between his mouth and lighted it.

"You look like crap, Seta-san."

The gray haired man exhaled, blowing off steam of nicotine. "Sorry, I didn't get your name." he cleared his throat again.

"It's me, Yurizawa Wabe. From human resource. Man, the manager really overworked you."

Some guy from the same office. Souji scoffed when realized this man's in the same boat as his.

"Who knew this kinda thing would happen? I mean…"

Souji refused to listen at that point. He excused himself to the toilet, putting of his cigarette on the nearest trash can. The gray haired man thought he could actually snapped if he heard more.

Forty one hours and counting. The second interrogation was about to begin. And how he'd love to just write down his answers on a paper and be done with it.

Once again he was escorted to the cubical room. Hands now cuffed. Apparently the evidence went strongly pointing toward his guilt. He let his forehead fell to the cold metal table. 'Steeling' his mind… pfftt, what's with the lame joke, brain?

The door letting out a crank noises, hurting his ears. Souji straightened up his back, intensely glaring at the figure who's going to torture his psyche. And he couldn't make anything out of his vision. Souji calmly regaining his composure as his eyes adjusted itself.

"I never thought we would meet again in this circumstances, senpai."

Souji focused his gray eyes when the interrogator addressed him as senpai. And he'd heard this voice before. "Who…. are you?"

Bitter smile formed on his lips.

A woman in her early twenties sat across him. Anxious and rage written on her curvaceous features. The glare from her dark blue eyes was piercing. She put down her distinctive blue cap on the table, showing off her disheveled, blue hair hung loosely above her shoulder. Her white shirt has the collar unbuttoned, exposing her sweaty collarbone. Apparently this room was quite hot, now that he gave it thought.

"Ah, Naoto. It's nice to see you again."

"I can't say I agree with you, senpai. You're caught in the middle of a murder case as one of the main suspect." Naoto let out sigh when Souji only relaxed his back on the chair. "Please tell me only the truth. I can't let our personal relationship ruin my judgment."

"I know." Souji cleared his throat.

It's downpour outside. Apparently he's still trapped in the strings. He found no sign of whatshisname from human resource around anymore. The evidences were pointing on him and two other guys he couldn't care less.

Souji relentlessly tapping his feet against the floor. Forty eight hours and still counting. Two days. He had no idea being sleepless for two days could make him like this. They said there's one more process he had to go before they decided who's who.

_Maybe, it's him after all._

Heavy footsteps closing in. Souji forced his head up to see who's in such a hurry. A man was running off from the interrogation room direction. A Runner? But his sprint was heavy-handed. Souji focused his eyes, seeing the guards were all face down on the ground. It was when the man ran past him that he realized he's actually a runner.

Souji sprinted like mad closing the gap between them. Now, he didn't remember what time was this, but this station's sure as hell as empty as Inaba Police station. Shrugging off the train of memories that's about to run on his mind, Souji jumped off and tackled the runner to the ground.

This runner resisted well. Souji had to receive half dozen of clean hits to the face to keep him down. Thankfully the rest of the force caught on what's the ruckus about and finished his job.

The gray haired man dragging his feet to the main road. He let himself soaked in the rain and his dried blood under his mouth naturally washed away. He's finally been declared innocent.

Sky was dark. Souji was waiting on the sidewalk for the sight of a cab. _What a weekend…_ he thought to himself. Thirty hours work and twenty more hours as a murder suspect. He might actually want to put this into his resume.

"Souji-senpai!"

Souji's mind snapped awake. He looked down to his side to find Naoto, holding up an umbrella for him. "How are you still that short?" he murmured.

"I apologize for my behavior back there. I should've trust you're innocent."

Souji tried to talk, but only groans came out. He let out a smile and took the umbrella from her.

"No, let me hold that for yo…" Naoto trailed off as Souji raised his hand high, "That is not funny, senpai."

A chuckle escaped his lips as she actually jumped to reach the umbrella.

"Very well," she sighed, adjusting her cap, "we'll do it your way."

This kind of thing had happened, hadn't it? When they're in high school. Right, that one time where he's out eating Aiya's special afterschool. Souji mused. It's hard to believe that was seven years ago.

He wondered if she's still…

* * *

A/N :

nothing much to say other than this story won't be longer than 5k words. 

thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disc B**

* * *

Raindrops began clattering against the window. Shirogane Naoto sat across the bed, eyes staring intensely at the sleeping gray haired man. The doctor had told her that he's only suffered from sleep deprived and would recover shortly after a good, long bed rest. Nothing serious, she knew that. However, she couldn't help but worried. What had he been doing to be rendered with such state?

She had never seen him like this. Not even during those sporadic hours he spent leading the investigation team through the midnight channel. He always seemed so calm and collected during the day as well.

Sighing, she moved herself away from her seat, hiding the dark sky behind the curtain. The weather was atrocious and the blue haired sleuth refrained from going back through a storm. Besides, she had a report to make. To further her decision to stay, she had noticed those black pair of bags under his gray eyes during interrogation. And she was still mercilessly demanding the truths from him. She couldn't remove herself from that guilt.

Naoto swung her body around as she heard a groan. He had finally opened his eyes, though it's only been two hours since he was taken into the infirmary. "You should rest some more." she said, approaching him with a frown on her forehead.

"…Naoto?" He slowly glanced around as soon as he saw her, "I see…"

"Yes," The blue haired sleuth began as she seated herself on the bedside, "you were collapsed. Doctor said you're suffering from lack of sleep."

Souji let out a wry smile. "Thanks. I owe you one."

"You don't owe me anything. I'm just glad you're okay." Naoto rose up from her seat and rolled up her left sleeve, displaying a black watch wrapped around her slender wrist. Her body twitched slightly as she looked at the dim display. "I-I have to go finish a report. Get some sleep, senpai…"

The blue haired sleuth began to make her way out of the room. Nothing but a small smile came out of him when she glanced back. She paused at that, feeling the bitterness from that smile. She then lowered the brim of her hat, forcing herself to leave the room.

_He still have that_, Naoto thought to herself. The other pair of her watch she gave him seven years ago. Her pale cheek turned to a shade of pink when she consciously recalled the memory of that one Christmas Eve, but then,

_"This would never work out… I'm sorry Naoto."_

_"I… I understand. Goodbye, Souji-kun."_

That conversation flashed through her mind. He was moving overseas shortly after he left Inaba. And they had tried the long distance relationship, however. That only last a year. Both parties were absorbed in their own schedule. She with balancing high school and work. And him with his various sporadic activities he had told her.

Her brows furrowed, growing awareness of her thought. She bit her lower lip to subdue her emotion as her finger continued typing on the keyboard. The sleuth had promised herself to seal that feeling away and moving on with her life. Sou- Senpai was right, their relationship would never work out.

Shirogane Naoto sipped a cup of hot coffee as her eyes gazing at the sunrise. The reports were finally done and the case was closed. The Police Inspector rewarded her with a thick envelope for her assistance. It's unnecessary, but she accepted the gesture nonetheless. It was written on their contract.

Seeing her cup was empty, she put it down on the counter and start making her way to the infirmary. She would really like to go straight to her room and lay down on her bed, if only she wouldn't feel bad afterward. At least she had to check how he's doing before leaving.

A suit cladded man stood by the window, his hand ran through his gray hair as the morning breeze blew in. His broad back leaned against the wall when he noticed her presence. "It's still accurate." he stated nonchalantly, fishing out a black wristwatch from his suit pocket. "Glad you still have it."

"O-Only for practical use." she said, feeling her cheek heated up when her dark blue eyes met his gaze. "What about you, senpai? Why do you still have it?"

"It reminds me of you."

That's where she looked down on her shoes, hiding her flustered face. She had forgotten he was this blunt of a person. "…I-I see." was all she managed to say, her heart was racing too fast.

Souji let out a chuckle, walking away from the window. He then bent down to level with her gaze. Naoto's tired eyes were quivering, but she managed not to look away, again. "I'll take you home," he said after taking off her hat and wore it on his head.

She frantically snatched it from him before he could actually wore it. "I-I appreciate your concern," she began, putting down the hat where it belonged and trying her best to ignore his classic teasing, "but I'm momentarily staying in a hotel room near the station. There's no need for you to take me home as you have suggested."

"Oh, then I'll walk you there." He simply replied, standing beside her like it was how it supposed to be.

Naoto sighed. There's no getting around him, evidently. Nevertheless, she displayed a little smile as she led him. Her heart felt warm, knowing he's still behave the same way as boy she knew seven years ago.

"I'm glad to see you're doing fine now, senpai. Yesterday, you seemed… a little peculiar from your usual self."

"Can't deny that," Souji said, briefly glancing down to meet her face.

She was waiting for him to say more, but he didn't. Then a wry smile crept on his face that made Naoto grimaced. Part of her wanted to leave it at that, believing it was not her place to pry, however. There's this other part of her, the one that she had sealed away years ago, told her something's wrong. "Did…" Naoto convinced herself to follow the latter, "did something happened?"

Souji paused his walk and Naoto didn't dare to face him, distancing herself a few steps ahead. "…maybe, I'll tell you later."

The blue haired sleuth only nodded, didn't even bother to hide the disappointment on her face. In silence, she continued walking down the sidewalk until they reach the hotel entrance. "Thank you for your time, senpai. I'll be going then."

"Wait,"

She looked back, watching him pulling out a small notepad from his jacket. He began writing as soon as he picked out his pen out of his suit's pocket. He then ripped off the paper he wrote on and handed it to her.

"I'll be there at five in the afternoon." He said, removing his wry smile. "See you later."

It was an address, located in the neighboring city. If she took the train after lunch, she might be able to make it there an hour early. And so she did. Sitting idly in the train, she tried to look up what's located in the address. She winced when the result came out.

A pair of dark blue orbs were softened, glimpsing a gray haired man standing in front of a gravestone. He was gazing at the twilight with a cloud of smoke puffing out of his mouth. It didn't take long for him to notice her presence as he gesturing her to come closer.

She silently watched him threw down his cigarette, nonchalantly stomped it. "Sorry about that." He said, crouching down so he was leveled his height with the gravestone. Naoto grimaced. Her fear came to reality when she saw the word 'Seta' carved on the stone.

"You have my condolences, senpai." That was the one sentence she's unable to say. She could only watch his back trembling slightly.

"It was an accident and I… I wasn't there," Souji paused, "…I started smoking, flooding myself with work. I just want to forget about it but, it doesn't work that way. I know that now."

"…"

"I'm fine." He said when he stood up to face her, as if reading her mind. "Hey… Naoto. Could we, um…"

Shirogane Naoto looked up at the gray haired man.

"Could we try again?"


End file.
